Collapsible box.



F. H. HOUGHLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX.

I APPLICATION men DEC. 4. I914.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. H. HOUGHLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 4. 1914.

I Paten ted Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mu messes lates to the manner of folding, bracin tom of the box TT STATA @FFIUCE.

FRANK H. HOUGHLAN'D, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-HALF T0LAFAYETTE M. WOOLWIN E, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Lieaoae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,476.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HOUGH- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Houston, Harris county, and State of Texas, haveinvented and discovered certain new and useful Improvements inCollapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in certain improvements in the constructionof collapsible boxes of that type ordinarily constructed of pasteboard,orsir'nilar material, for packing purposes, such as are commonly used bytailors, millinery establishments, laundries, etc., whereby such a boxis provided having strong and perfect corners and ends adapted to retaintheir shape and remain closed during use and thus adding materially tothe utility of'such a box, as well as to its advantage in use,.all aswill be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters indicate similarparts, Figure 1 isa perspective view of a box, without its top, showing a folding orcollapsible box of my improved construction as it appears when ready foruse, the interior appearance being illustrated at one side of saidfigure and the exterior appearanoe at the other side, Fig. 2 a detailvertical section on the dotted line 22 in Fig. 3, Fig. 3 a detailhorizontal section on the dotted line 33 in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 a plan viewof the box blank, the right-hand portion of the figure illustrating theblank be fore it is folded at all, and the left-hand portion showing thebox in its collapsed form, Fig. 5 a detail view showing the end of thebox partly formed as it is being folded ready for use, and Fig. 6 asimilar view with the process of forming still nearer completion.

The box blank is rectangular and of a single sheet of material. Theinvention reand looking, at the ends, and as each en is a duplicate ofthe other, a description of one end will suflice for both.

The blank A is out at a point a distance from its edge equal to theheight of the sides of the box parallel with each side to a pointrepresenting the end of the botforming a flap 10 on each nesses,

- the side and each end of the box. These'flaps are then bent or scoredalong diagonal lines 11 and are also bent or scored along lines 12,which permits said flaps to be bent inward to extend across the end ofthe box toward the center thereof with the extreme end fastened by arivet 13, or other means, to said box end, when the sides 14: are foldedinward upon the bottom of the box. The end of the box beyond the line 15is folded over on top of said ends and the rivets l3 practically extendthrough the two thickas well as through the ends of the flaps 10. Saidportion of the end outside the line 15 is also doubled on a line 16 andagain doubled back on a line 17. A pair of parallel slits 18 at asuitable distance apart are cut in the part of the end outside the line17 and a strip of stifier material, such as wood, 19 is slipped thereinfor a purpose to be presently described.

In Fig. 4: I show at the right hand end end of the box straightened out,and at the left hand end the construction complete with the end incollapsed form. In forming the end as shown at the left in Fig. t theflaps 10 are folded inward along the lines above described, the sidesare also folded inward at the same time, permitted by the break or scorein the flap along the diagonal line l1.- The end of the box outside theline 15 is then turned inward and laid flat, as indicated at the left inFig. 4:. When it is desired to set up the box for use the sides arefolded outward, which, at the same time, by reason of the flaps 10 withthe end of the box, raises up said ends, as indicated in Fig. 5. Thepart of the end outside the line 15 doubled and containing the stick 19is then turned down with its ends inside the sides of the box. Theextreme flap beyond the line 17 in the end being folded under engagesunder the part secured together by the rivets and forms a rigidinterlocking connection. The bar 19 is of a length shorter than the boxend and serves as a stifi'- ening device which renders the ends of thebox stiff at the interlocking corners and capable of resistingan'unusualamount of Wear and strain.

It will be understood, of course, that both ends of the box areduplicates and that the cover, or lid, may be formed in the same manner.A further description of the construction is therefore unnecessary. Itwill secure by Letters also be seen that when the box is assembled thecorners are firmly secured and closed and any danger of the cornersopening under strain from the contents is entirely obviated. The sidesof the box are braced both against bulging outward or collapsing inwardat the corners by the flaps 1O riveted to the end pieces on the onehand, and the outer flap of the end of the box folded within 1said sideson the other hand. By this means an unusual rigid, and at thesame timeinexpensive, collapsible box is provided possessing the advantages abovementioned.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to Patent is:

A collapsible box formed of a single sheet of material, which sheet iscut at a point a distance from its edge equal to the height of the sideof the box, and parallel with each side back to a point representing theend of the bottom of the box, forming a flap on each side and each endof the box, said flaps being bent or scored along diagonal lines, andalso along lines parallel with the normal end of the box, said flapsbeing bent inward to extend across the end of the box toward the centerthereof, and having their extreme ends secured to the end of the box byfastening devices, the ends of the box above the normal top being foldedover under the inner face of said flaps, and the fastening devicesextending through not only the flaps, but both folds of the end of thebox, and the portion adjacent to the outer edge being formed as a secondfold adapted to turn under and provided with a reinforcing strip, allsubstantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Memphis,Tennessee this 24th day of November, A. D. nineteen hundred andfourteen.

JOHN L. S'rou'r, JOHN M. FARLEY.

